Nightfall:The Truth is Strange
PM Omniance: May 17th 10:00 p.m. Los Angeles, Santa Monica, Budget Apartments PM Omniance: All three of them are just arriving at their apartment building, walking up the hall. Fred: I don't think I could make it to the beach, maybe if we go at night? Stacy: Oh c'mon Fred, you've been dead to the world for the passed week, and you need a tan, like real bad. She walks up to the door to her apartment. Anyway I'm gonna make another drink, you guys want one? She starts opening the door with her keys. I need to forget that I used to be rich and popular. PM Arbi: Marcus: He stretches his arms a bit while he's walking up the hallway behind them, even cracking his knuckles when they all stop in front of Stacy's apartment door. Yeah, I'll stick around for another drink. PM Omniance: Fred: She shrugs, she's about to say something before someone calls out from the top of the stairs. Odie: There you are. He walks down the stairs towards the first floor that Stacy's apartment is on. I was hoping you'd still be up. Stacy: She sighs. Why are you here? Man now I really need a drink. She holds her hand up in his direction and goes into her apartment before he even responds. Odie: He watches Stacy leave, then looks to Marcus and Fred. I have some follow up questions in relation to the car accident that we talked about last night. There's been some... Weirdness... PM Arbi: Marcus: He crosses his arms, a little weirded out that the police officer from before is asking them questions while he's off duty. Shouldn't you be tracking down Thomas? PM Omniance: Odie: He looks at Fred for a moment, then back to Marcus. I'm multi-tasking. Fred: She looks down. PM Arbi: Marcus: He thinks about what Ricky said about him and just decides to humor him since they're friends. Sure, ask away. He heads into Stacy's apartment, still wanting to get that drink. PM Omniance: Fred: She stares at Odie for a moment as she follows Marcus into the apartment. Odie waits a moment, then follows them both. Stacy: It would be illegal for me to serve a minor. She looks at Odie sarcastically as she finishes a pair of margaritas. What do you want Marcus? Just a beer? PM | Edited 6:12:00 PM Arbi: Marcus: He takes a seat at the small kitchen table, feeling that Odie will want to take a seat with him there to ask his questions. Got any Heine? PM Omniance: Stacy: You know I got everything. She grabs a green Heineken from her fridge and sets it on the kitchen table in front of him as Odie takes a seat. She walks over and grabs the margaritas, handing one to Fred, and then both girls take a seat on the couch. So why the hell are you here Odie, you're ruining our vacation day. PM Omniance: Odie: I'm just trying to make some sense of the facts we have... He looks from Stacy to Marcus. When was you car accident? PM Arbi: Marcus: He thinks for a moment. The car accident happened last week, Thursday night... PM Omniance: Odie: A black hummer hit you? Right? Stacy: Jesus, Odie, did you catch the guy that hit him or not? He's not a god damn criminal. She stirs her drink and than takes a sip, shaking her head as she looks at Fred. PM Arbi: Marcus: I didn't see the car coming and I hit my head pretty hard so... He opens his beer and takes a quick drink. He lightly "aaahs" afterwards, Heineken being his favorite beer. He looks down at the beer bottle before shrugging as looks up at Odie. Don't remember. PM Omniance: Odie: But you did get into an accident that day, around eight o'clock? You drove a Honda, Accord. PM | Edited 6:39:57 PM Arbi: Marcus: He nods before taking another sip from his beer while looking at Odie. PM Omniance: Odie: A few onlookers called in a 9-1-1 about a car accident that night between a Honda Accord and a large Hummer-like vehicle, one that was equipped with a roll cage and a bumper. The entire driver's side of the accord was completely smashed in, and when it was towed, a man's body was found. We're currently unable to identify the body, so I'm just trying to find out if he was a friend or relative to either of you. He looks over at Fred for a moment. PM Arbi: Marcus: I... don't remember the car being that smashed up and It was just me and Fred that night. You might be thinking of another accident. PM Omniance: Odie: But a woman matching Ms. Lenover's description was reported fleeing from the scene with someone who was likely Thomas Durrance, whose gallery was attacked that night by... "_looters_". It was also one of only two accidents reported that night that involved a car that matched your's model and make, but the second accident took place in Culver City, miles from here... He narrows his eyes at Marcus. So someone's body was found in your car, Mr. Linnel. Who was driving the two of you that night? Stacy: She raises an eyebrow, for once she doesn't really know what to say. PM | Edited 6:50:57 PM Arbi: Marcus: He sighs and puts his beer down, sitting up. I'll tell you what happened so you don't get the wrong idea. PM Omniance: Odie: Oh, cool. He leans back in his chair and folds his fingers together. That should make this a lot easier, and my job a lot less antagonistic. He looks at Stacy. Think I might be coming off as the bad guy here. Stacy: You suck. She rolls her eyes. It's obvious that Odie's ruining her night. PM Arbi: Marcus: He looks from Stacy and Fred back to Odie before standing up. You mind if we go for a walk? PM Omniance: Odie: He shrugs. Yeah, sure. He stands up after a moment. Fred: Her eyes widen a little. Stacy: Yeah, you two go work out the police station's fuck up, and I'll be here drowning with my best friend. PM Arbi: Marcus gives them a small wave before heading out of the apartment with Odie. About a minute later the two of them are walking down the sidewalk towards nowhere in particular. PM Omniance: Odie: They walks down the sidewalk for a moment before he speaks. So what happened? PM | Edited 7:18:08 PM Arbi: Marcus: I don't usually do this. I never really liked talking to the cops but I feel like I can trust you. Ricky said a lot of nice things about you... PM Omniance: Odie: Ricky? Ricky Clemence, that Ricky? You know him? PM Arbi: Marcus: He smiles and looks down. He's my cousin. I've known him since he was a little kid. PM Omniance: Odie: Wow, you know Stacy, then you're related to one of my friends from High School, that's so coincidental it's insane. PM Arbi: Marcus: He shrugs a bit and stops walking as they reach a crosswalk. He presses the little button on the pole so they can cross. I'll tell you what happened but... just don't think I'm crazy, alright? Last time I talked to the cops they thought I was imagining things. PM Omniance: Odie: Well I actually find that most of police force has a closed mind to begin with... So just tell me what happened. I'm here to get your side of what went down, alright? PM | Edited 7:58:28 PM Arbi: Marcus: He nods as the "cross now" symbol lights up. He walks across the street with him. This all started the day before the car accident. Me and Stacy were just about to head home after closing down the nightclub when we couldn't find Fred. The three of us always walk home together. Calypso, the manager, told us she left early with one of the VIPs. He looks at him, expecting him to know who he's referring to. PM Omniance: Odie: So she left with Thomas Durrance. That guy seems to be at the center of everything that's happening here. PM Arbi: Marcus: We just went home after that. He looks a little uncomfortable as he says this next part. But... when we got inside and went upstairs, we saw her... on the floor. Fred looked like she was unconscious and her skin was almost... pale. I thought she might've been drugged so I tried to call an ambulance but she stopped me, she told us she couldn't afford going to the emergency room and that she just needed to get some sleep. He slowly sighs. She was asleep for over twelve hours. PM Omniance: Odie: Sounds like she might've been drugged. He pauses. Even a night of binge drinking wouldn't keep you out that long, well at least not generally. PM Arbi: Marcus: We tried talking to her about what happened. She just kept telling us she drank too much that night and couldn't remember anything. PM | Edited 8:28:24 PM Omniance: Odie: He thinks for a minute, he looks like he wants to ask something, but then decides to just wait for Marcus to continue. PM Arbi: Marcus: It bothered me a lot that she couldn't remember what happened... and I thought she didn't care until she told us she was gonna look for Thomas, to get some answers. She said he took her to his gallery, it's one of the few things she remembered so I drove her there. PM Omniance: Odie: You were in the gallery then, when it was "looted". He doesn't seem too surprised. PM Arbi: Marcus: I don't know about looters but when we got there we found two men in business suits, just standing around on their phones. Before we could even talk to them they both ran up to us and attacked us. PM Omniance: Odie: Businessmen, in suits? That doesn't match description we were given. The report said that a few thugs in ski-masks broke in, but I found that claim to be a little too... "Cliché", to be true. From what I've experienced, the truth is always stranger than you would like. He scratches the side of his head. PM Arbi: Marcus: They didn't have any masks on and I didn't see any guns. They just started attacking us with their bare fists. I knocked one of them out but the other one got ahold of Fred. He put a knife up to her neck and kept telling me to leave... PM Omniance: Odie: Did they say, do anything? Do you remember? PM Arbi: Marcus: He slows down and closes his eyes, trying to remember what the men were saying. The guy that grabbed Fred, he said they got what they came for. He looks at Odie. I guess they did steal something... PM Omniance: Odie: He thinks quietly for a moment. And I'm guessing you have no idea what that was... So, what happened after that? You two got away from them somehow. PM | Edited 9:02:10 PM Arbi: Marcus: It... happened so fast. There was a blur and the guy was suddenly on the floor. Thomas showed up out of nowhere and tried to lead us out of the gallery but before he could... there was some electrical explosion. We heard the man from before scream but when we turned around he was gone. Thomas told us to get out through the back door, he stayed behind. PM Omniance: Odie: We found shallow burns on the walls, and through some of the displays, that match the ones we found at the Flagship. Could you tell if it was the same electrical effect that was used by woman who attacked you there? PM | Edited 9:03:59 PM Arbi: Marcus: He thinks back, remembering the second electrical bolt he saw in the gallery. They both had the same golden color. PM Omniance: Odie: But you got away, through the back? What happened then? PM Arbi: Marcus: Yeah, but before we could get to the parking lot we saw a woman standing in the alley way. I told her to get out of there because it wasn't safe but... He stops walking and leans back against the nearby wall of a large building. I saw her again outside the nightclub yesterday, coming out of the black Hummer that they used to escape. PM Omniance: Odie: So I think that makes it pretty obvious that there's no possible way this was a coincidence. PM Arbi: Marcus: After that me and Fred got into my car and drove away before anyone else tried hurting us. PM Omniance: Odie: So what happened in the accident then? PM Arbi: Marcus: He narrows his eyes as he tries thinking about it. He remembers what Fred said. Someone crashed into us on the way home but it wasn't that bad. I just hit my head... He starts rubbing his head. PM Omniance: Odie: Everything matches up with you story, except for the crash. He raises an eyebrow at Marcus. So who was driving the two of you? Because we have a twisted up car in our impound lot, covered in blood. PM | Edited 9:22:36 PM Arbi: Marcus: I wouldn't trust anyone else to drive us home after what happened. He shakes his head, knowing he can't be wrong. I remember holding the steering wheel while I was talking to her. PM Omniance: Odie: He sighs. Then I'm back where I started. We have an unidentified body that was brought in with half a car wrapped around it like tin foil. The car is clearly yours, Mr. Linnel. He shrugs a little. So you either hit your head a lot harder than you think, and you don't remember who was with you, or something stranger is going on here, because I don't think you're lying to me, at least not knowingly. PM | Edited 9:32:12 PM Arbi: Marcus: A dull pain is radiating out from the back of his head but he's trying to ignore it. I... remember waking up. The car was messed up but I was able to get out. The pain suddenly intensifies for a second, causing him to wince like before but it immediately dulls again. He opens his eyes again after a moment. There were other people around me but I didn't see Fred anywhere. I went home to check on her... she was okay so I went to sleep because I was tired. PM Omniance: Odie: Well at least I have more information than I did before... Kind of. He looks down. Would the two of you accompany me down to the station, at least to fully confirm that the car was yours, and this isn't just some... Terrible misunderstanding. PM | Edited 9:39:14 PM Arbi: Marcus: He looks at him, almost surprised to see him. He was so deep in thought before that he forgot Odie was here with him. He gets off the wall. We're not in trouble are we? PM Omniance: Odie: Nah, nothing like that. I'm really just trying to figure out what the hell is happening. I've only been here five months, and already things... Well. I'll just say they're starting to remind me of home. PM Arbi: Marcus: Ricky mentioned that you worked for a detective in high school... It's too bad you didn't come over earlier, I bet he would've been happy to see you. PM Omniance: Odie: He rubs his hand on the back of his head. You know, funny enough we worked together under the same detective. He seems to remember it fondly for a moment. ...He didn't do much investigating... He usually just did the "intimidating", kinda similar to what you do. Maybe it runs in the family? PM Arbi: Marcus: He looks at him strangely as he starts walking back, almost smiling. I... don't think that's how that works. PM Omniance: About an hour later, down at the station... PM Omniance: The police station is almost entirely empty. Only a few people were around when Odie lead them through the building and out the back into a large lot, full of cars that have been impounded, and other wrecked vehicles that are more in the back. Most of the wrecked vehicles have tape around them in various places, and have been taken apart. Odie: He's leading them passed the cars as he speaks. So I guess I've thought up another question, Mr. Linnel. You said after the accident you went home? Did you call a tow truck to pick up your car, or did you leave it in the street after the accident? PM | Edited 9:58:05 PM Arbi: Marcus: He looks at him. I was worried about Fred and I was tired. I didn't even think about calling them... PM Omniance: Fred: She looks at Marcus, she's been quiet this entire time, but she remembers he told her he called a tow truck. Odie: Well I guess that matches up, because the report said they found the car in the road, and had to tow it themselves. As they walk up to the end of the lot there's a Honda Accord that looks relatively unharmed at first, but as they keep moving towards it they see into the parking space, and the driver's side is completely crushed, along with most of the front of the car. Despite the car having been cleaned out pretty well, there's still obvious blood stains all over what was once the driver's side. So this is your car, right? He looks at Marcus. PM Arbi: Marcus: As they reach the other side of the car he looks more confused than anything. That's... He quickly walks up to it, checking to see if it really his car. No matter how he looks at it things aren't adding up to him. ...not possible. PM Omniance: Fred: What's the purpose of bringing us out here? What are you trying to imply, that we had a third person in the car? Odie: I'm just trying to get the facts straight, because things don't match up. We have a body in the morgue that was in this car. The car matches the car registered to "Marcus Linnel", and Mr. Linnel said he was in the area of the accident, driving his car, which has the same make and model as this one, yet no one can explain why there was a third person in the car. Marcus insists he was driving. He shrugs. PM Arbi: Marcus: The pain starts coming back but instead of coming from his head the sharp pain is coming from his stomach and chest. He grabs his car as his head starts to feel light. PM Omniance: Fred: Marcus! She grabs him to keep him from falling down if he gets too sick. Odie: You alright? He looks at Fred. This the same thing that was happening to him at the Club? Fred: C'mon, stay with me. She rubs his back a little as she holds him. Marcus: He falls to his side as he starts coughing up blood. While he's on the floor he looks up at Fred, seeing her worried face becoming blurry as the world becomes enveloped in white fog just before he loses consciousness. Marcus suddenly opens his eyes. He's laying down on a bed with a bright light shining down over him. When he tries to move his arms and legs he feels that they're strapped down, when he tries to talk his voice is so weak that he can barely utter a single word. He quickly looks around to see where he is. It's a large dark room with medical equipment and machinery all over. One of the machines beside his bed has a blinking blue light. As if alerting someone the door to the room opens. Marcus watches as a woman walks up to his bed, behind her he sees someone else but they stop at the door, peering inside from the dark hallway. The woman is wearing a medical gown with a mask over her lower face. She presses a button on the large machine beside him to stop the blinking light before she looks down at Marcus. Without saying anything she leans down and reaches for his face. Marcus closes his eyes but the straps on his body stop him from looking away. The woman gently places her fingers on his eyelids and widens them as she looks into his eye. All Marcus can do is stare up at the woman as she stares back into his eye, he tries to say something but his voice fails him again. Woman: He's awake now. *She turns around towards the doorway, as if waiting for a response.* The man says something too quiet for Marcus to understand. The woman simply nods and walks away to what looks like a counter. After a quiet moment she brings back a small metal tray, placing it down near Marcus's bed. The woman carefully picks up a syringe and fills it up with the unknown substance from a small clear bottle. There's hesitation in her movements as she sticks the needle into Marcus's IV tube but takes a moment to push the substance inside. As if to comfort Marcus she softly runs her fingers through his hair as she presses down on the syringe. He panics as he feels pain radiate from his body again but there's nothing he can do as the world begins to blur, everything becoming white again. May 28th 2:00 a.m. Unknown Location Marcus: He gasps as he wakes up suddenly, choking as he sits up, like someone that just got revived from almost drowning. About a minute passes before it doesn't hurt so much to breathe. He looks around to see where he is, he's outside under the moonlight. There's green grass all around him and a large block of cement underneath him. He stands up and backs away as he realizes he's sitting on a plaque, his eyes widen as he reads his name across the tombstone.